With winds gusting above 20 mph in the high country and humidity so low most anything will burn, Dr. Steven Graboff stands guard in Black Star Canyon.

It is Saturday, and instead of kicking back, Graboff, an orthopedic surgeon, works eight hours for free. Like the other 40 volunteers keeping watch this day in canyons, trailheads and along natural fire corridors, his only pay is the satisfaction of keeping our wildlands safe.

To the average hiker, mountain biker or birder, Graboff’s vigilance may seem like no big deal. But if you’ve ever seen a Santa Ana wind-fueled wildfire, you would know otherwise.

Fire can move faster than any human can run. Temperatures easily top 1,000 degrees. Even trained professionals lose their lives battling blazes.

Two years ago, 19 hotshots lost their lives near Yarnell, Ariz. Three of the young men had Orange County connections: Grant McKee, 21, of Newport Beach; Robert Caldwell, 23, McKee’s cousin; and Kevin Woyjeck, 21, of Seal Beach.

Stopping a fire before it starts is critical. And that is Graboff’s primary mission.

ARSON DANGER

Several thousand feet above Graboff, trail runners and mountain bikers take a break at what’s known as the golf ball, although to me it looks more like a white soccer ball the size of a Coto de Caza mansion.

The distance from Graboff’s station, up the winding fire road to the golf ball – a National Weather Service radar tower – is a little over 8 miles. But the final 6 miles includes more than 2,000 feet of elevation.

And on this Saturday morning, some gusts nearly knock over hard-core cyclists.

Evan Eisenhart, a 14-year-old Rancho Santa Margarita resident, hops off his bike and takes in the view. To the west lay the Santa Monica mountains. To the north is the entire San Gabriel Mountain Range. To the east is Mount San Gorgonio; at more than 11,000 feet, it is the highest mountain in Southern California.

Eisenhart points to Catalina and its eastern neighbor, San Clemente Island. The wind blows, dies, picks up. But lower down, the wind funnels through narrow canyons and can double, even triple in speed.

It is in these low-lying areas where arsonists like to practice their insidious craft.

Standing before the massive steel gate that blocks vehicles from entering Black Star Canyon, Graboff explains: “We look for suspicious people. If I see someone wearing gloves, I report it to the sheriff.”

Among other tools, Graboff has a radio that directly connects him with Orange County Sheriff’s Department dispatch as well as the Orange County Fire Authority.

When a fire is lit, every second counts.

ABLAZE IN SECONDS

Kevin McArthur works full time as coordinator for the county’s fire watch program. Until last year, there were two sets of volunteers. One was headed by the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, the other by OC Parks. Now the two are blended together.

As he patrols Santiago Canyon Road, McArthur reports that although winds are less than forecast, they remain perfect for a firestorm.

The three ingredients for a wildfire are dry fuels – think dust-dry plants – wind and low humidity. On this day, winds in some areas average 15 mph; gusts are even higher. Humidity is in the single digits, desert-like.

“A small fire,” McArthur warns, “can turn catastrophic in a matter of minutes. And that’s what we’re really trying to prevent.”

A reserve firefighter with the OCFA with a degree in fire science, McArthur says there are 172 volunteers in the fire watch program. But with thousands of acres of wilderness, the county needs more.

“Fire is a natural part of the ecosystem,” McArthur explains, “about every 60 to 100 years. But with accidental and intentional man-made fire, we typically see them every 15-30 years.”

But in Orange County, we see wildfires more often, and this is prime season.

The Laguna Beach fire consumed 16,000 acres, burned some 400 homes and cost half a billion dollars in damage. It started on Oct. 27, 1993.

The Santiago Canyon fire was set by an arsonist. It burned 28,445 acres, threatened 750 homes, destroyed a dozen and injured 16 firefighters. It started Oct. 21, 2007.

The Freeway Complex fire turned to ash 30,305 acres, destroyed or damaged more than 300 homes and injured 14 firefighters. It started Nov. 15, 2008.

“A big part of the program is public awareness,” McArthur says. “We help them make the connection that this is a high fire danger day.”

PREVENTING FIRES

Just a mile from where a still-unidentified arsonist set the Santiago Canyon fire, Graboff ticks through cautionary things the general public should know.

The first seems like a no-brainer. But as I spot a cigarette butt on the ground, it’s clear no brains are common. Don’t smoke, and if you do, put the darn thing out in your vehicle.

The second is to be vigilant. Immediately report suspicious or hazardous activities to authorities.

The third item surprises. I know off-road vehicles must have a spark arrestor. But I never connected the idea to cars. The underside of cars, especially catalytic converters, can become red hot. Don’t park on or near grassy areas.

After a two-hour shift in Black Star Canyon, Graboff drives to Irvine Regional Park to man the gate and distribute pamphlets. At the bottom is a website for becoming a fire watch volunteer, LetsGoOutside.org/volunteer.

On Saturday, the volunteers again were out in force, helping keep the natural world alive.

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